Hidden Behind Guarded Eyes
by Mitsukuni'sLilTwinSis
Summary: What if Mori and Honey had another cousin, the only person to be accepted early into Ouran early. What if she found herself friends with of the host club, they're even willing to start doing hostesses for her... what if something terrible happens?
1. Chapter 1

"Haninozuka Kaiya… Accepted early to the Ouran Academy…Your cousins Mitsukuni Haninozuka and Takashi Morinozuka already attend… would be honored to have you…"

I stared at the letter thrown at me. Father wanted me to attend. I would have to.

"Do you know what this means, Kaiya?" my father asked.

I quickly answered, "Yes, sir. It means that I was accepted a year early into one of the most prestigious schools in the country."

A slow smile appeared on his face. "Even Otori Kyoya, famed genius was not accepted early. I am proud of you. The new term starts on the eighth. That's tomorrow, be ready at seven."

"Yes, sir," I bowed low, thankful that this was not another slap for a small slip in etiquette, or just because he felt like it, and hurried back to the dojo to train.

My brothers were there too. We were all very good at fighting. I started beating up a dummy.

My younger brother, Hajime, asked, "You're back early? No lecture? No slap?"

"No," I replied. Both of my brothers were surprised. "I got accepted to Mitsukuni and Takashi's school."

"Isn't that a high school?" my older brother, Taiki asked.

"I was accepted early. Father wants me to go."

Taiki nodded. "Then you have to go. Remember, you can't let anyone find out about us. Especially not Mitsukuni and Takashi."

"I'm not stupid, Taiki," I said, punching the dummy extra hard. "I'm not going to let anyone find out. I wouldn't do that to us."

He nodded. "Just make sure."

"Can you tell them I said hi?"

I smiled at Hajime and stopped attacking the dummy. "Sure, Ha-chan."

That night, I lay awake in my bed, grinning silently. I whispered, "Ouran High School. I think I'll like it there." I slipped off into dream-world.

When I woke up, I got completely ready. I put on my regular clothes, as I would only get the high-school one when I got there.

Oh yeah, I forgot to tell how I look. I have long black hair is exactly the same shade as Takashi's, but my chocolate-y brown eyes were Mitsukuni's. I was taller than Mitsukuni, but shorter than Takashi, so I seemed like a perfect mix of them.

The limo took me to the school so I could meet with Superintendent Suoh.

We had a short discussion, he told me my mother had called and requested that I not wear the girl's uniform because she didn't like the design (she was a fashion designer, plus she said I couldn't fight in it), and she had a special uniform made just for me. One that I could fight in.

This uniform was about the same as the boy's uniform, except instead of pants it had Capri's and the blazer was tighter.

"Your mother insisted that you wear this."

I looked at it, "Thank you, Suoh-Sensei."

"You're welcome, Haninozuka-San. We look forward to having you at this school. Why don't you go change before your guides arrive?"

I gave what I hoped was a smile and went into the bathroom to change. When I came back out, there were two guys standing there.

One of them had black hair, dark eyes, and glasses, the other had brown hair and brown eyes. Both were unusually attractive.

"Hello, I'm Otori Kyoya," the one with the black hair said. Otori Kyoya, the 'famed genius'.

"And I'm Fujioka Haruhi," the one with the brown hair said.

"Hello, Otori-Senpai and Fujioka-Senpai," I replied. "I am Haninozuka Kaiya." (**A.N. I am really bad at these honorific things, so please forgive any mistakes!)**

"We'll show you around, come with us!" Fujioka-Senpai said.

I stared at him for half a second, he was unusually feminine. "Sure," I replied. "I look forward to it."

The two boys kept up a running commentary about the grounds, the buildings, etc.

"Are you related to third years Haninozuka Mitsukuni and Morinozuka Takashi?" Otori-Senpai said.

"I am, they're my cousins."

"Ahh, they're good friends of ours!" Fujioka-Senpai said. "Have you seen them since you started school?"

"Not yet, I haven't seen them since I got back to Japan. We've been vacationing in France for six months."

"So that's why you only started second term," Haruhi replied. "Wait, France?"

I nodded. "Father and Mother wanted to visit for their anniversary."

We were at the classroom by then, so I quit talking.

School was simple. I no one else that I met, except for a pair of identical twins named Kaoru and Hikaru, made much of an impression.

I was shy, there was no denying that. Everyone was talking about me, and I didn't like it. The twins and Haruhi had taken a liking to me though, so they shielded me from most of the gossip, but I still caught bits and pieces.

"Who's the new girl?" "Why isn't she wearing the right uniform?" "What's up with her?"

I still don't know why the twins and Haruhi immediately liked me. Perhaps it was because I was the new girl, the new oddity, or maybe it was because of Mitsukuni and Takashi, but they immediately started acting really friendly with me.

After school, I was about to start the long run home when the twins pulled me aside.

"Where's you chauffeur and limo?" "Do you plan to walk home?"

"Well, yeah," I replied. "That was kind of the plan. Father likes me to keep in shape for the competitions."

"You do competitions?" the twins asked in unison.

"Uh-huh, martial arts, judo, that sort of thing."

"You haven't even talked to Honey-Senpai and Mori-Senpai yet!" Haruhi said.

"They are coming over for dinner sometime this week. I really have to get going! Father will get mad at me if I'm late for training."

I shook them off and started running home.

"Where were you!" Hajime asked. "It's almost time to start! Hurry and get changed!"

I slipped on my training uniform and was stretched by the time Father stepped into the door.

The next day, I wasn't able to escape the clutches of Hikaru and Kaoru as easily. I did escape them, however.

The third day of school, I was sick of listening to people run their mouths all the time. My family valued silence and stealth among other things.

I quickly checked the four libraries, and each one was crowded with (you guessed it) yapping people. The closest thing I could find was an abandoned music room. It was Music Room 3 if the sign was correct.

I put my ear up to the door and heard quiet conversations going on, I stepped away. I wanted to study, not talk. I stole into a room down the hall from it. This one was abandoned, and perfect for my situation.

I realized that I hadn't spoken to either of my favorite cousins in months. I remembered how me and Takashi parted. Over a stupid fight.

"_Takashi!" I said, springing up from my chair. Takashi grinned that special grin for those he considers his family. "How was your day?" _

"_Tiring," he replied. We had a nice long chat about nothing important, but afterwards Takashi asked me something that set me off. "Does he hit you?" _

"_What?" _

"_Your father, does he hit you?" _

"_NO!" I yelled. I couldn't let him find out. Me, Ha-Chan, and Taiki could take a slap every once in a while. It was nothing compared to what Father could do._

"_If he does, I would prefer you lived with me and my family." _

"_He doesn't hit me!" I insisted. After a slight pause, I said, "Please leave." _

"_What?" _

"_Can you please go, I was deeply offended by the very suggestion." I was scared he would figure out the truth. I was scared that he wouldn't give it up. And I was terrified that he would tell somebody. _

"_If that's what you want." He left. I could still see the pained expression that he quickly tried to hide. _

I was worried about our confrontation. Mitsukuni and I were fine, but Takashi….

I heard loud noises coming from the room next to mine, it sounded like an orchestra. There really was no place to study.

I decided to test the room with the students just quietly talking. I sighed and walked down the corridor to the door.

I opened the door… and was assaulted by flower petals.

"Welcome, princess, you must be ne…"

"Mitsukuni!" I interrupted. We never kept the family rule of fighting every time we saw each other.

Mitsukuni flew past him with a burst of speed and jumped into my arms. I winced, but turned it into a smile as I twirled him around and set him down, only then did I notice the others in the room. There were the twins, Takashi, Haruhi, Kyoya (we had come to a first name basis on the tour), and a blonde prince-ish boy that I didn't know.

"Kai-Chan! It's been so long!"

"I know, little cousin."

"Hey! I'm older than you!"

"You're shorter than me."

He stuck his tongue out at me, letting me know I won the argument.

"Kaiya." I heard Takashi's steady voice say. I slowly turned around.

"Takashi."

I stood in front of him and we regarded each other carefully. After a few seconds I couldn't take it anymore and I broke. I hugged him as an apology.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" I cried into his shoulder.

"It's ok, Kai-chan." I could hear his happiness.

Takashi let go of me and we stood next to each other.

I noticed the prince-like boy off in the corner, pouting. The rest were ignoring him.

"What is this place?"

"This is the host club, we entertain ladies with too much time on their hands," Kyoya-Senpai said, he grinned. "Everyone, meet Haninozuka Kaiya. She's the only person to be accepted early to Ouran Academy."

"Why did you only come for the second half of the school year?" the blond boy asked.

"This is Tamaki Suoh, the princely type of our group." He had gotten over my ignoring him in favor of looking at the curiosity, aka me.

"We were vacationing in France."

$So you speak French too? Wonderful!$

$Yes, doesn't anyone else here speak it?$

$I'm afraid not. What other languages do you speak?$

$Spanish, English, Japanese, German, current Greek, and a bit of ancient Greek and Latin… Oh, and enough Hebrew to get along. What about you?$

$Just French and Japanese.$

"What are you saying?" Haruhi asked. "We don't speak French."

"I'm sorry," I replied. "I was talking with Tamaki about the languages I speak."

"Oh, what languages do you speak?"

"Spanish, English, Japanese, French, German, current Greek, a bit of ancient Greek and Latin, and enough Hebrew to get along."

"That's a lot!"

"I have a photographic memory, it's easy."

Takashi and Haruhi were beside me and Mitsukuni was on my lap. We were on the couch.

"That's amazing!"

"Not really, it runs in the family. My brothers, and Takashi and Mitsukuni have it."

"You two have photographic memories? Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because you never asked, Tama-Chan," Mitsukuni said. "Kai-Chan, I'm tired. Can you nap with me and Usa-Chan?"

"Sure, Mitsukuni," I said, standing up. He grabbed my hand. "Where do you usually take your naps?" He grinned at me and pulled me over to a canopy above a single bed.

I set him down and got into the bed and he cuddled up with me. I could feel his breathing even out and become deeper. I let my eyelids slowly droop downward….

**3****rd**** person POV**

Takashi watched with a small smile as his two favorite cousins fell asleep.

"So, Mori-Senpai," the twins said. "What was that about?"

Takashi's expression returned to normal. "Kaiya and I had a fight."

"And you've just made up?"

"It was a big fight."

"You seem really close to them."

"Yeah," Takashi's smile returned. "Yeah, we are."

Kyoya was being unusually quiet. 'There's something off about her. I just have to find out what.' And we all know Kyoya can't resist digging.

While the rest were questioning Takashi about Kaiya, Kyoya was typing away at his computer. He was sure that there was _something _about Kaiya that they didn't know. Something wrong.

Kyoya found… almost nothing. It was strange. Everyone had something there, everyone did. It wasn't normal to have this few records. A birth certificate and records of a passport. No medical forms, no schooling records, nothing of that sort.

The rest had gone through all of their questions about Kaiya. They were lounging about doing whatever they felt like… and there the twins went attacking Haruhi trying to force her into another cosplay outfit, this one a chii dress. They never stop, do they?

"Please quit making such a racket, Honey-Senpai and Kaiya-Kohai are still asleep," he said. "I've heard Kaiya-Kohai wakes up the same as Honey, and they fight together."

That seemed to scare all of them except for Takashi. "I-Is that true, Mori-Senpai?" Haruhi asked.

"Yeah."

They were terrified by this point. "She is almost at his level, or they wouldn't work together as well," Kyoya put in. "I wouldn't suggest waking them up."

Mitsukuni rolled over and Kaiya unconsciously tightened her grip on him. Identical slight smiles appeared on their faces.

"They're so cute together," Tamaki said. "Hey… Kaiya could join the host club!"

"What?"

"That's insane!"

"We could work her in with Mori and Honey!" Tamaki went on.

"Tamaki," Haruhi, always the voice of reason, said. "Kaiya is a girl and everyone knows it. We only have guys as hosts."

"Mommy! Do something!" Tamaki said. "We have to let her in! Mori-Senpai and Honey-Senpai are so close to her!"

Kyoya sighed at the nickname Tamaki had given him. "I guess we could have her as part of Mori and Honey's act. She seems to work well with them."

"YAY!"

Kaiya's eyes blinked open and everyone became silent. Her eyes glinted. "Shut up!" she hissed. "Mitsukuni and I are sleeping! If you wake him up, you'll answer to me!" And her eyes shut again.

"She did all that" Hikaru started. Kaoru finished with, "without really waking up?"

"Yeah," Takashi said. "She would attack you, but she doesn't want to wake Mitsukuni."

"She cares so much for him."

Kyoya was staring at them, sure that something was wrong with her. The lack of records proved it.

"Kyoya-Senpai?" Haruhi asked. "What's wrong?"

"Hmm? Nothing."

"But… never mind."

The two sleeping children stirred and mumbled something, then settled down into their sleep.

"They're so cute!" Haruhi cooed.

Takashi relaxed and started reading his book again, he was used to his two cousins.

**Move to 1****st**** person POV of the two's dreams. **

_**KAIYA'S DREAM**_

_Mitsukuni smiled back at me as he dragged me in the direction of one of the tables. _

"_Come on, Kaiya! Let's eat cake!" _

"_Alright, Mitsukuni!" I grinned back at him. There was a knock at the door. Takashi walked in with the rest of the host club. Takashi was carrying our cakes._

"_Thank you, Takashi," I said. _

_He nodded. "Does he hit you?" _

"_What?" _

"_Your father, does he hit you?" Takashi asked._

"_Does he?" "He hits you, doesn't he," the twins continued. _

_Mitsukuni started too. "Does he hit you often?" _

_Tamaki and Haruhi joined in. "Why does he hit you?" "Do you deserve it?" _

_Even Kyoya joined in. "He hits you, I'm sure he does." _

_Everyone started going at the same time. "He hits you." "You deserve it." __**"You deserve it."**_

_**MITSUKUNI'S DREAM**_

_Kaiya and I were sitting in a meadow, but Kaiya wasn't… herself. Kaiya's face was bruised, but she was smiling. _

"_Hello, Mitsukuni," she said. "How are you doing?" _

"_I'm fine. But what about you? Where'd you get the bruise on your face?" _

_She laughed a little. "This thing?" she rubbed the bruise. "Mitsukuni, you know this is nothing." _

"_What?" _

_Her grin turned confused. "Don't you remember?" _

"_No." _

"_Think back. Two years ago." _

_I couldn't remember her saying anything. _

"_I didn't say anything. You came over to my house. It was a Sunday." _

"_Sunday," I repeated, thinking. "You never said anything." _

"_You really don't remember, do you," she asked, staring at me. "There were other bruises. And a concussion." _

"_You told me they were from training!" _

_She smiled sadly, "I lied. I'm sorry Mitsukuni. I couldn't have you digging. If anyone found out… he'd hurt me and Hajime and Taiki." _

"_Who's he?" _

"_Think, Mitsukuni!" she said harshly, "Think __**harder**__. You know the answer." _

_I tried thinking. "I don't know!" _

_She smiled sadly. "Don't worry, you'll figure it out." _

"_You'll figure it out." _

"_Figure it out." _

**Waking up**

I yawned. Kaiya was still asleep. I cuddled into her side and she tightened her arms around me.

"No," she said in her sleep. "NO!" She sat bolt upright, fear showing in her eyes.

Takashi was beside us in a second. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said, the fear receding. "Just a nightmare."

"It must have been a bad one," I said. "Can you tell us what it was about?"

A hint of the fear was back. "No, it's ok. What time is it?"

"It's five thirty," Kyoya said.

"Oh no," she moaned. "I'm late for training!"

"I'll take you," Takashi said. He smiled a little. "I remember the way."

"Your chauffeur is here?"

"Yeah."

"Thank you, Takashi," she said.

"I wanna come too!" I said. My dream was still bothering me. "I haven't seen Hajime or Taiki in _ages_."

"Alright," she said, "It's ok with you, Takashi?"

"Yeah."

"Come on, Father will be mad as it is."

I had to ask. "You talk about Uncle a lot."

"Yeah, we're pretty close," she said. Her eyes told a different story.

I grinned, but I didn't feel like grinning. Something was wrong with Kaiya. Something must have happened in France.


	2. Chapter 2

**Kaiya's POV**

I spent the car ride talking with Mitsukuni about everything and nothing. His reactions were a bit slow, his eyes showed concern through his smiles... He knew something was up. Takashi kept glancing at me, his eyes showing nothing, but I could tell he was worried.

When we got home, they insisted on walking me inside. They told my father what happened, and he acted ok with it in front of them.

But he wasn't. As soon as they left, he slapped me, twice, hard, then made me practice in the dojo until three in the morning. I didn't regret it though. I got to see Takashi and Mitsukuni for the first time in months.

I hurt. Mother said that I couldn't go to school the next day. I had to stay home she said. We couldn't let anyone figure out that we were being mistreated.

The day after, the twins noticed that I moved like I hurt. I laughed it off. Clumsy me, I pulled a muscle while training. I was sick yesterday, that's why I didn't come to school. I could tell they didn't believe me. Everyone knew something was wrong.

They just didn't know what, and that was what I was counting on.

We sat together at lunch, along with the rest of the Host Club, but we weren't able to talk privately because a bunch of girls came to chat with the guys and me.

I went to the Host Club again. I would make sure that I wouldn't fall asleep this time. I'd make it home in time.

I opened the door and they all looked up. I noticed Kyoya was missing.

"Hey," I said. "Mind if I stay for a while?"

Mitsukuni hugged me around my waist. He looked up and grinned at me, there was relief in his grin. He was scared for me. "Sure! You can stay as long as you want!"

"Father wants me back by 5:30 for training."

His smile froze and drooped a bit, but picked right back up. "You can stay until then! Come on, Kai-Chan, let's eat some cake!"

I smiled at him. He really was nice to everyone. I dropped my bag by the door and walked off with Mitsukuni towards the cake.

A short time later I heard footsteps coming behind me and smiled as the twins slung their arms around me.

"We think it's time…" Hikaru said. Kaoru continued, "For you to play…" then they both said, "The 'Which-One-Is-Hikaru-Game!'"

I pointed at Hikaru and said, "Hikaru" I pointed at Kaoru "and Kaoru."

"Ut-Oh," they said. "You got it wrong."

"No I didn't," I said.

They gave it up. "How did you know?"

"Hikaru, Kaoru," I said. "Come on, it's not that hard to tell you two apart. Hikaru, you're the dominant twin. Your voice is a tad bit deeper. I can tell. Kaoru, you're the submissive (most of the time). You're extremely caring for those you trust, as is Hikaru, but it's harder to get your trust. Hikaru trusts your judgment, and you trust his most of the time. You might be identical twins, but you're very different."

They stared at me.

Haruhi grinned at me. "I thought I was the only one who was able to tell them apart."

I shook my head. "It's easy to tell them apart. I don't know why everyone thinks it's so hard…"

"You're our new favorite!" the twins said enthusiastically.

I gave them a small smile, then I checked the time, 4:40. I still had a bit of time.

The door opened again and Kyoya stepped through. "Hello, everyone. I've just cleared it with the principal."

"Just cleared what, Kyo-Chan?" Mitsukuni asked.

"Hostesses!" he grinned. "Kaiya, welcome to the host club!"

"What?" I asked.

"Yay!" Mitsukuni said. "Now we can eat cake together every day!"

"Mitsukuni," I started, but I was cut off by Tamaki pulling me into a hug. Like, a really clingy hug…

"YAY! Since we're in the same club you can call me by my first name, and I can call you by yours right?"

"Sure," I said. "But…"

"We have to find you somewhere in our family. Hmm… Haruhi is the daughter…"

"Wait, Haruhi is a girl?"

"…And the twins are the brothers, you couldn't be the brother anyway, because everyone knows you're a girl. I got it! You could be one of the cousins with Mori-Senpai and Honey-Senpai!"

I broke out of his grasp. "Wait a second!" everyone quieted down. "Before we get ahead of ourselves! I can't!"

"Why not?" Mitsukuni looked to be on the brink of tears. "Don't you like us?"

"Of course I do, Mitsukuni," I said. "You know I do. But Father doesn't want me to join any clubs or anything. He wants me to focus on my training and my studies."

Tears started streaming down Tamaki's face. "Mommy!" he called. Kyoya looked up (I'd have to ask what that was about.) "Do something! Make her stay!"

"I can't," he said. "I have nothing on her. She's free to leave when she wants to."

They all stared at him. "You don't have _anything_ on her?"

"Well, no," he said. He pushed his glasses up. "I'm not a mind reader. And my contacts can't find out anything if it's not there."

"Look," I said, sighing a little. "I'd love to be part of your host club, but I can't." I glanced at my watch. 4:56. "Besides, it's almost 5:00. Takashi, can you take me home?"

"Yeah," he said. He detached himself from his place leaning on the wall where he had watched us argue. I followed him out the door.

"Takashi?" I asked a few minutes after we got in the car. "What should I do?"

"Whatever you want to do."

"I _want_ to be in the host club, but I _don't_ want Father mad at me."

He glanced at me. "Does he get mad easily?"

"Mad, not violent," I lied quickly. I couldn't tell him what happens at home. We'd be taken away from Mother and Father, and then Taiki, Hajime, and I would be split up. I shivered.

"Cold?" Takashi asked.

"A little."

The driver turned the heat up and we were silent for the rest of the ride. "Takashi?" I asked before I got out.

"Hmm?"

"Can you and Mitsukuni stop by later? For training?"

Takashi glanced at me and smiled a little. "Yeah, we will.

I grinned back and spontaneously gave him a hug. He seemed surprised for a moment, but he hugged me back. I knew I was forgiven for what had taken place months earlier.

Then I ran into the house and changed.

"You're early!" Hajime said. Sweetest nine year old in existence. "Do you want to spar with me?"

"Let me stretch first, Ha-Chan."

"Ok!"

I started stretching and Father walked in. "Taiki, you're sparring with me today. Hajime, Kaiya, you spar with each other."

"Sir!" we all yelled. It was like always.

After about two hours of sparring, we heard the doorbell ring. Hajime and I, sparring like we were, weren't equally matched, but I was trying to let him use all of his moves. I was going easy on him, but I wouldn't let him win. I was too competitive. He paused at the sound, and I used that as a distraction to knock him to the ground with my arm at his throat.

"Never let yourself get distracted," I said before I got up. I was helping Hajime Father stormed past us and shoved him to the ground.

"Keep sparing!" he said as he walked out of the dojo.

"Take a break," Taiki said when he was out of earshot. "A fast one, and grab some water."

We all downed some water and Taiki and I were demonstrating throw-downs for Hajime by the time Father got back with our guests.

"Kaiya! Hajime! Taiki!" Mitsukuni yelled as he flung himself at us. We somehow found ourselves in a four-person hug.

"Mitsukuni!" we all said enthusiastically. He let us go and started bouncing around like and over-excited bunny.

"Ha-Chan! Taiki! I haven't seen you guys in FOREVER!" he glanced at me and gave me a cute smile. "But Kai-Chan ate lunch because all the grades have lunch at the same time and I got her to sit with me and my friends!"

Always preferring few words, Takashi said, "Hi."

Father grinned, all hatefulness gone. "And now we can have a 3-way pairs fight. Pick your partners!"

Mitsukuni and I immediately teamed up, Takashi and Taiki were a great pair, so Hajime and Father were the only ones left.

"You get the idea, yes?" Father asked. "You try to keep your partner in the fight, but you have to get the others out. This fight only goes as far is to incapacitate. No permanent damage."

We rolled our eyes, Father knew we wouldn't REALLY hurt each other. We were too close.

"Alright, call the Announcer!"

"Mr. Opani!" I called. He walked in from a room right next to the dojo.

"3… 2… 1… FIGHT!" Mr. Opani yelled.

Mitsukuni went for Father, and I went for Taiki. Takashi and Hajime were fighting. Hajime wouldn't stand a chance. He was a great fighter, but not as good as Takashi.

Taiki and I knew the other's style almost as well as we knew our own, so this had to go down very carefully.

I quickly pretended to fake right and take left, but I faked right, faked left, landed a punch with the right, then danced out of his way.

He quickly rushed me but I danced out of his way and sent him flying into Father with a well placed shove. I ran up to Mitsukuni and we stood side by side. The two got up, and Father shoved Taiki into us.

We were ready for this. I took on Taiki as Mitsukuni handled Father. Taiki and I danced the dance of fighters. Punching, kicking, grappling some, but mostly testing for weaknesses.

Finally, I found one. His left side was weaker than usual. I quickly pretended to do an ax kick, then dropped into a sweeper that swept him off his feet and I jumped into a grappling position. I wasn't quite as good at grappling as I was at hand to hand fighting, but neither was Taiki.

As soon as I got him into a position where he would yield, I was lifted off of him by Takashi. "Takashi!" I yelled, playfully though. "No fair!"

Hajime and Taiki attacked each other.

"No rules," he said, I could tell he was grinning.

"No rules, eh?" I grinned back. I quickly twisted out of his grasp and pulled myself around to his back, so I was piggybacking him.

I thought he couldn't do much about it that way, but I had underestimated him. He did a handstand and I was forced to hold on tighter. Mitsukuni was still fighting Father.

I did what I could and squeezed as tightly as I could, digging my feet into his stomach. He quickly pulled out of his handstand and stood up. I did the only thing that I could, I pushed against his throat.

He grabbed my hands and flipped me over, just as Taiki had done minutes before as a demonstration for Hajime.

He sat on my stomach and we started grappling. He was better at this than Taiki, but eventually I had him. I was on his back with my legs around his stomach and my hands at his throat, and I put light pressure on his neck.

"Yield!" I said, my eyes alight with the high of the fight as I put a bit more pressure on his neck.

He tapped out and I untangled myself from him. He walked off and I went and tackled Taiki, who had just taken out Hajime.

Pretty soon it was only me, Father, and Mitsukuni left.

Mitsukuni and I locked eyes, distraction, distraction… He held two fingers by his side. This meant he was going to rush Father and jump at him, and I was to get his feet.

"HYYYYYAA!" Mitsukuni yelled as he jumped at Father. I slid under him silently and took out Father's feet. Mitsukuni and I both held him down, and finally he yielded. We had won.

When we got off, he clapped. "Very good. You're becoming better at working together. Remember though when facing multiple attackers, you have to fight on your own. Protect each other's backs."

"Hai!"

Father grinned. "Good. We're done for today, please shower and change."

We ran off towards our respective showers.

**Time skip! What, you didn't think I was actually going to write out my shower, did you?**

I pulled on a comfy pair of stylish black pants, a black camisole, and a white shirt that hung off one of my shoulders. When I walked out, I saw that Hajime and Taiki were dressed similarly. They were both wearing a nice shirt with a right breast pocket and the same style of pants. Except Hajime had a white shirt and black pants, and Taiki had a black shirt and white pants.

We all had the same style of clothing, but obviously mine was more feminine.

"Wow! You guys look like opposites!" Mitsukuni commented to them. "And you look like a mix in between them." He said to me.

We all looked at each other, then we laughed, knowing that he was right. Mitsukuni noticed the weirdest things.

Mitsukuni and Takashi kept sharing glances with each other, but they tried to not show it. Not that it fooled me.

"So Mitsukuni, Takashi," Mother started. "I hear you're in a club at school?"

I wondered where she had learned that, because I didn't say anything about that. "Well yeah," he said. "I'm in the Host Club!"

"What's that?"

He grinned. "It's a social club. Me and Takashi were invited last year, and we made a bunch of new friends!"

"Yeah."

"Oh really?" Mother seemed interested. "So you run a social club?"

He smiled, "We don't run it, our friend Kyoya is the director and in charge of expenses and all."

"Kyoya? Otori Kyoya?" Father said, interested.

"Yes," Mitsukuni grinned. Then he frowned. "He can be mean sometimes though, but he's not hard to be around. All he does is stay on his stupid computer though." Mitsukuni frowned even more. "And he doesn't even like cake! Or any sweets!"

I laughed. "Yeah, Kyoya-Senpai is a bit of a nut."

"Kyoya-_Senpai?_" Father asked.

"We got acquainted as he and another student lead me on a tour," I said, making sure to look him in the eyes and put an extra dose of 'I'm not lying' in my voice. "I haven't really talked to him since." I hoped Mitsukuni and Takashi wouldn't out me.

Thankfully they didn't. "Yeah," Mitsukuni said, "Kyo-Chan's more my friend than Kai-Chan's." But Takashi stayed silent. That wasn't unusual.

"Kaiya, you know you should focus more on training and schoolwork than on friends," Father said.

Mitsukuni's eyes got an angry sort of gleam, but I quickly shook my head and mouthed, 'Don't!'. I knew he was ready to argue until he was blue in the face, but I didn't want to get into that.

The rest of the night passed nicely, but soon it was time for Mitsukuni and Takashi to say goodbye. I could see the promise in Takashi's eyes though, we were going to talk tomorrow whether I liked it or not. I wasn't surprised.

Father was in a good mood, he just sent us to bed afterwards.

The next day I spent avoiding Takashi and Mitsukuni. I think it went pretty well.

At lunch, instead of eating in the cafeteria (which would make avoiding them impossible) I stumbled upon the classroom that Haruhi was eating in.

"Hello, Haru-Senpai," I said. I really had just wanted to eat alone, but Haruhi wasn't one to pry, and she could take a hint.

She smiled up at me. "Hello, Kai-Chan!"

"Would you mind if I ate with you today?"

"Sure," she said. "It's fine. But don't you usually eat with Honey-Senpai and Mori- Senpai?"

"Well… I'm kind of avoiding them…" I said. "Don't tell them that I said that. They don't know."

She laughed. "I guess they can be a little overbearing." She just gave me the perfect excuse.

"Yeah, I just need a little break from them," I lied.

**Takashi's POV… well more third person, but it's explaining his thoughts.**

Morinozuka Takashi had been following Kaiya for the past ten minutes. He felt that she was avoiding him, no doubt she had a reason, but he wasn't in the mood for a game of cat and mouse.

_Of course_, he wanted to talk to her about the well-hidden-but-there undertone of fear in her voice when she said that she was only acquaintances with Kyoya. He'd had his suspicions for _months_ now, but she wouldn't let him do anything about them.

He was protecting her as best he could behind her back, as he knew she had too much pride to accept it at face value. A few friends had made discreet phone calls to child services and a couple allies have been looking into her background, but really there was nothing else that he could do. He knew she would take offense if she ever found out that he was having her followed, so he wouldn't do that.

"Hello, Haru-Senpai," he heard her say.

"Hello, Kai-Chan!" Haruhi said.

"Would you mind if I ate with you today?"

"Sure," Haruhi said. "It's fine. But don't you usually eat with Honey-Senpai and Mori- Senpai?"

"Well… I'm kind of avoiding them…" Kaiya said. "Don't tell them that I said that. They don't know." Takashi raised his eyebrows, not knowing why she would avoid him.

Haruhi laughed. "I guess they can be a little overbearing."

"Yeah, I just need a little break from them," Kaiya lied. Takashi could tell she was lying. There was a subtle change in her voice, it sounded a bit lighter, more forced when she lied.

Haruhi replied, "Don't worry, I'm sure they won't be mad."

Relief colored Kaiya's laugh, but it was well hidden. "I'm sure they won't be, I'll just distract Mitsukuni with cake."

"You know him too well," the girls laughed at Haruhi's joke. Takashi decided that it was time to go get Mitsukuni. He walked back to the lunchroom, grabbed the childlike 17 year old, and put him on his shoulders without an explanation.

"Sorry ladies!" Mitsukuni said. "Takashi needs me for something important!"

Takashi grabbed Mitsukuni's tray (he himself had already eaten) and took him out to the hallway. "Help me find Kaiya."

Mitsukuni nodded. "We have to talk to her." He started yelling. "KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIII-CHAN! KAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-CHAN!"

"This way," Takashi said. Mitsukuni followed without a second thought. He knew Takashi was usually right about these things.

"-CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!" Mitsukuni kept calling. "WHERE ARE YOU KAI-CHAN?"

Kaiya walked out of the door Takashi had seen her eating in and Haruhi followed her closely. "Hi, guys," she said sheepishly.

"Kaiya, do you want to talk somewhere else?" Takashi asked.

"Uhmm…. Ok? Sure. You want to come too, Haruhi?"

"Alone?"

"Hmm? Oh, ok, sure." They all turned and walked into the room except for Haruhi.

"Sorry Haru-Chan, but this is a family meeting! We'll all eat cake with you at the host club room later!" Mitsukuni grinned at her, feeling a bit sorry that she was being left out of it. Then he shut the door, cutting Haruhi out of the conversation.

"What happened?" Takashi demanded.

"When?" Kaiya asked, intentionally being oblivious.

"When you said that Kyoya wasn't your friend! Are you embarrassed that your friends with him?"

"No," she said. "That's not it at all. It's father."

"Huh? You're scaed?"

"He doesn't like me to have friends."

"I've heard."

"And I mean, he does make me train a lot," she went on, about to lie again. "And he could limit even my time in school! I know you guys know what it's like to train for 14 hours straight, right? You're about dead on your feet!" she cut herself off.

"14 hours? No, I've never trained for that long," Mitsukuni said. "I don't have that kind of endurance. I think a long training session lasts about eight hours."

"Eight hours?" Kaiya grinned. "It's pretty long, but Father only makes me train for longer as a punishment."

"He makes you train as punishment?" Mitsukuni asked.

"Sometimes, other times he has me stand in strenuous positions for long periods of time," she said. "You know, like the invisible chair."

Takashi still wasn't convinced that was it. "Yeah," was all he said though. He'd never admit anything like that.

"So can we get back to eating? Me and Haru-Senpai still have to finish lunch."

"Yeah, Takashi, bring her back in! I'll get the cakes!"

The rest of lunch went smoothly, just like the rest of the month… until the day that found Kaiya crying almost silently in a room on the third floor of the school.

**A.N. Remember guys, reviews are nice!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Tamaki's POV**

I was yelling at the twins and trying to keep them from harassing my daughter, my beautiful daughter Haruhi, when I realized that someone was missing.

"Hey, guys," I stopped mid rant to say this. "Where's Kaiya?"

Honey-Senpai looked up from his piece of cake, Mori-Senpai looked up from his book, the twins stopped harassing Haruhi (FINALLY!) and they all stared at me, Kyoya even looked up from his computer!

"She wasn't at school today," Haruhi said.

"Huh!" Honey said, "You're right! Maybe she decided to skip today, or she was sick."

"No, today's Wednesday," I said. "She always comes on Wednesdays to see us in our cosplay. Even if she is sick." And, as always, we were cosplaying today too. Today we were American farm-boys. Kaiya would have loved it. "Where is she?" we waited for a few seconds and no one came up with anything. "Kyoya, entertain our guests with the movie we shot when they come while we look for her. The guests have come to love her."

He nodded at me. "Find her." Even Kyoya, the Shadow King, had a soft spot for the shy little girl. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure that sure that she's here somewhere. She would never go home early. Especially today."

"Today? What's different about today?"

"Her older brother's mother died today 14 years ago, Haninozuka Taiki's mother died in childbirth. Tensions run high in her house today. Find her. Comfort her. Don't leave her alone."

The twins said, "She wasn't in any" "of her classes today."

"She'll be at school. She wouldn't stay home today," Honey said. "Not unless she was forced.

Mori nodded. "Follow me. Listen carefully."

"Don't yell for her. We have to find her the regular way," Honey said. "She'll run if you yell. Find her and surprise her. She's good at hiding. She'll be somewhere dark and probably small."

"Let's split up!" Haruhi said. "We'll find her faster that way."

"Good idea, Haruhi!" I instantly agreed. I had to find my precious niece.

And we all walked our separate ways, only narrowly avoiding our guests as we searched for the girl who had unwittingly wormed her way into the heart of the host club.

**Kaoru's POV**

I sighed as I closed the door to yet another empty room. She had to be around here somewhere! I had taken the third floor classrooms, and I still hadn't gotten the call that anyone found her. Too bad she doesn't have a cell phone.

As I was about to open the door I heard a muffled sob. Being the gentleman that the host club made me, I couldn't resist helping a girl who was crying.

I silently opened the door and walked in, careful in case this really was Kaiya. I looked all around, but I didn't see anyone, then I padded over to the couch.

I peeked beside the couch, and there Kaiya was, crying her eyes out, sitting on her own. She didn't come to me or Hikaru or Haruhi, or even Honey or Mori for comfort, but she was crying.

I sat down next to her and put my arms around her, trying to comfort her. She stiffened, but I pretended to ignore it.

"Shh, shh, Kaiya, what's wrong?" I asked. "Come on, Kai-Chan, you can tell me."

She was still sobbing too hard to speak, but she did relax enough to sob on my shoulder. "Shh, do you want me to tell the others where you are?"

"NO! No!" she yelled. "D-Don't!"

"It's ok," I said. "I'll just tell them that I've found you and you're safe and all, ok?" she nodded as her sobs lessened to hiccups. I pulled out my phone and dialed Tamaki's number. "Tono?"

"Kaoru! What is it! Did you find her? Everyone else is back and Hikaru is starting to worry about you!"

"Yes, I found her, but she doesn't want me to tell you where we are," I said.

Tamaki started screaming out of the cell phone. I held the phone away from my ear and winced at the noise. I told Kaiya, "Tamaki gets like this when he's worried. Will you talk to him? I'll calm him down first."

She nodded. Tamaki was still ranting.

"Tono! Calm down! She says she wants to talk to you!"

"What? Why didn't you say so earlier? Put her on!" I silently held the phone out to her. She took it.

"Tamaki-kun?"

I heard a faint buzzing as he answered.

"Tamaki, you're overreacting!" Kaiya said with a little laugh and a hiccup. "Tell everyone I'm fine... it's just... I just can't come to the club today."

Tamaki's voice buzzed the phone again.

"Thanks, Tamaki-kun." She handed the phone back to me. "He wants to talk to you again."

"Yes, oh fearless ruler?"

"Kaoru, you're excused from your hosting duties today."

"What? Is Hikaru?"

"No, he'll have to do it alone. I'm sure he can manage."

"Without me?" I was feeling sorry for my dear brother. "How will he do the brotherly love act?"

"He'll act like you're fighting or something. He can pretend you're sick. I don't know. He's smart enough to think of something. Whatever, Kaiya needs you right now. Don't leave her, ok?"

I sighed. "How is Hikaru going to do the brotherly love act all alone?" I asked quietly.

Tamaki said, "I don't know, he's smart enough to figure it out. Look, Kaiya needs you."

I glanced at her, Tamaki was right. "Put me on with Hikaru."

I heard the sounds of the phone being shifted and heard my twin say, "Kaoru!"

"Hikaru!" I said back. "You have to go without me today."

"What?"

"Hikaru, you're my twin, and I love you, but Kai-Chan needs me now, ok?"

"Bring Kai-Chan by after everyone leaves, ok?" I could hear him worrying. "And make sure you don't get hurt, I'm not there to help you!"

I grinned. "Don't worry. I'll do my best!" Kaiya tugged on my sleeve. "Hold on a second, Hikaru." I took the phone away from my ear. "What is it?"

"You –sniff-you can go if you want," she said as she wiped her tears. "I don't need anybody."

"Yes you do," I said, putting my arm around her and squeezing her close to my shoulder. "Let me hang up with Hikaru and you'll have my attention, ok?" I put my phone back to my ear. "Hikaru, do your best, you're going to kill them. And go! Kyoya's probably planning some hideous torture for us all right about now."

Hikaru laughed. "You're probably right, I love you! Goodbye!"

"You too," I said as I hung up. "Do you want to tell me what made you cry like that?"

She sobbed again. "Taiki!"

"Your brother?"

"Y-yes," she said. "He… he's g-gone too far. Made Fat-hiccup-Father get mad."

"What did he do?"

"H-he always gets resentful –hiccup- of me a-and Hajime around this time of year. He's j-jealous that we have a -hiccup- mom and he d-doesn't. Our m-mom, she treats him a little –hiccup- colder than she treats us, b-but she still loves h-him." She paused to wipe her tears. "H-he said that -hiccup- w-we were all c-conceited self-centered j-jerks and the only r-reason that M-Mother was with Father was because of his –hiccup- his money!" she sobbed a little more.

I squeezed her shoulder. "I admit, I haven't known you for that long, Kaiya, but I think I know you pretty well, and you're not self centered! Or a jerk! You're anything but! You're like the opposite!"

"It wasn't that…" she said. "I mean it hurt and all, but I'm scared because of Father's reaction."

"What did he do?"

"Father… he backhanded Taiki. He's never done anything like this before!"

"When was this?"

"Not long ago. I just got here."

"And the rest is history," I said, grinning, but inside I was mad. Her father hit her brother in front of her. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"You missed a bunch today! This girl asked Haruhi out, and Haruhi was almost forced to go out with her because she's too nice to outright say no! Only me and Hikaru's quick thinking saved her. I mean, it was obvious that she didn't want to go out with the girl."

"Do you know what the girl's name was?" she asked, curious about Haruhi.

"Her name was Akahana. Fuji Akahana."

"What did Haruhi say?"

"She just stuttered! She didn't say anything! Me and Hikaru had to come and rescue her. We came in and dragged her off for the club meeting."

"You had a club meeting?"

I grinned, happy that I felt like bringing my extra phone. "Here," I said, digging in my bag and bringing out the purple one. "This is for you." I held it out to her.

"What? Why?" she didn't take it.

I put it in her hand. "I was thinking, it would be so much easier to talk to you if you had a phone. And we could tell you about club meetings."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I mean, we've already given Haruhi one. I'll give the others your number, and they'll call you _a lot_ but I think it's worth it."

"You'd give me a phone, for no good reason?"

"Well, _yeah._ That's what friends do," I said. She shifted so she was lying with her head on my leg. She'd never done this before, but it showed she trusted me completely. I'd been trying to earn her trust ever since I met her. She wouldn't even touch any of us except Honey and Mori for the longest time. We stayed that for a long time.

"Kaoru?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

"For what?" I asked.

"Staying with me. Listening to me. Please, don't tell anyone what I said. Nobody can know about what happened. Father… well, it won't happen again." Her face was unreadable.

"Sure," I said. "I can keep a secret."

She smiled at me. "Thanks."

"You already said that!"

"I know."

I started running my fingers through her hair, and I heard her sigh. She relaxed and I started singing a song that was stuck in my head, but I sang it slower and more soothing then the original was. The words were English, so I was sure she would understand. It was For the First Time by The Script

"She's all laid up in bed with a broken heart,  
While I'm drinking jack all alone in my local bar,  
And we don't know how,  
How we got into this mad situation,  
Only doing things outta frustration

Tryinna make it work but, man, these times are hard

She needs me now but I can't seem to find the time,  
I got a new job now in the Unemployment Line,  
And we don't know how,  
How we got into this mess is it God's test  
Someone help us 'cuz we're doing our bestest,

Tryinna make it work but, man, these times are hard

But we're gunna start by  
Drinkin old cheep bottles of wine,  
Sit talkin up all night,  
Sayin things we haven't for a while, a while now  
We're smiling but we're close to tears,  
Even after all these years,  
We just now got the feeling that we're meeting  
For the first time.

She's in line at the DOLE with her head held high,  
And I just lost my job but didn't lose my pride,  
And we both know how,  
How we're gunna make it work when it hurts  
And you pick yourself up you get kicked in the dirt,

Tryinna make it work but, man, these times are hard

But we're gunna start by  
Drinkin old cheep bottles of wine,  
Sit talkin up all night,  
Sayin things we haven't for a while, a while now  
We're smiling but we're close to tears,  
Even after all these years,  
We just now got the feeling that we're meeting  
For the first time.

Oh these times are hard,  
Yeah they're making us crazy  
Don't give up on me baby

Oh these times are hard,  
Yeah they're making us crazy  
Don't give up on me baby

Oh these times are hard,  
Yeah they're making us crazy  
Don't give up on me baby

Oh these times are hard,  
Yeah they're making us crazy  
Don't give up on me baby."

I looked down at Kaiya again. She was asleep. I smiled and pulled a blanket from the couch (why was the blanket there, anyway?) and spread it over her. I smiled. I heard my cell ring and answered it before it could wake Kaiya. "Yeah?"

"The Club hours are over, do you want to come back Kaoru?" Hikaru asked.

"Yeah, I'll just take Kaiya, she's sleeping."

"Great, but don't wake her up!"

"I won't, trust me, I know better than that," I said. "I'll be down in a while, I'm on the third floor." I hung up and picked Kaiya up under her knees and behind her shoulders. She snuggled into my chest and mumbled something in her sleep.

I worried for a minute, because she was extremely light for her height and age, but I quickly got over it.

I took her down the steps, cautiously to avoid jostling her too much. I hummed the tune to the song I had sung.

I knocked on the door to Music Room 3 with my foot. Hikaru opened the door for me and I grinned lopsidedly at him. I mouthed, 'She's sleeping'.

He stepped aside and let me through. I put her down on the bed that we got for Honey-Senpai and turned around. Hikaru hugged me. "Don't ever do that again, Kaoru," he said. "I was so worried about you.

Honey-Senpai crawled in beside Kaiya. He put his head on her arm and snuggled into her side. Mori-Senpai looked at the two and smiled.

"Where was she?" he asked.

I looked up at him, not sure if I imagined him talking or not. He looked at me like, 'Well?'

"In an abandoned room on the third floor. She was crying."

His eyes narrowed in anger, but his voice was still calm. "About what?"

"She asked me not to say."

He nodded, knowing that she was pretty private about that sort of thing. "She told you?"

"Yes, but only because I was there to listen," I said.

"Ah," he said. He turned back to his book.

"You say she was on the third floor? How long had she been there?" Kyoya asked.

"Not long, she said she just got there."

"So she stayed home all day?" Hikaru asked. "Honey-Senpai said she wouldn't do that today."

"Unless she was forced," Haruhi added grimly. "Are you sure you don't have anything that would let us take her away from her home, Kyoya? You couldn't find anything?"

"Nothing of worth."

"Were there any social services visits to their house?"

"No."

"No police visits?"

"Haruhi, there wasn't anything like that."

Haruhi sighed. "Then we can't do anything." She looked over at the two sleeping club members. "I hope that we can get her out before something really bad happens."

"Out of what though?"

"That's the question, isn't it?"


	4. Chapter 4

I woke up back in my room at home. Mother was sitting on the bottom of my bed waiting for me to wake.

"Sweetie!" she said as soon as she saw I was awake. "I'm so glad you're ok. We were worried about you!"

I relaxed into the hug she pulled me into. "Taiki," I said. "Is he ok?"

"A little bruised, but fine," she said. "He wasn't hurt too bad. His jaw wasn't broken."

"Will he do it again?" I asked. "Father, I mean."

"I don't think he will," she said. "He apologized to us."

I looked at her. "Are you sure that he won't do it to Taiki again?"

"He had had a couple drinks with his friends. Your father, well, I'm sure he won't do it again," she told me. "I'll get a maid to make cookies. Why don't you go talk to Taiki in the mean-time?"

"Father doesn't like us to eat sweets," I said.

"He doesn't have to know about this. He's away on a trip for work."

"He won't come back for a while?" I asked. "Does Taiki know?"

"No, he doesn't. Do you want to tell him?" she asked.

"Yes," I said. "I do." I stood up and walked to Taiki's room which was down the hall. I knocked on the door.

"Yes?" he called.

I pushed open the door and peeked inside. "Taiki?"

He put down the book he was reading. "Kaiya!" I saw his face. It was a bruise in the shape of a hand on his cheek. "Come in, of course." He was back to normal. He opened his arms for me to run into, and I did. As he was stoking my hair he mumbled into my ear. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for what I said. I don't know what came over me."

"It's ok, Taiki," I replied. "Of course it's ok. You weren't thinking straight. You were angry and sad."

He squeezed me tighter then let go. I scooted back and then put my hand up to his face, gently touching his big purple bruise.

"He really hurt you, didn't he?" I asked.

Taiki shook his head. "It doesn't hurt that much."

"But you're afraid."

"Of what?" he asked, scoffing.

"That he'll do it again, but this time he won't stop with just a backhand."

Taiki's eyes held mine. "Aren't you?"

"Of course I am. I'm terrified that he'll hurt you or Hajime or Mother."

"But you're not scared for yourself?"

"If you guys aren't hurt, I can take a few bruises."

He shook his head. "It shouldn't be like that. I'm the older sibling, I'm going to be the one protecting you, not the other way around… if it comes to that."

This time my eyes held his in a sharp glare. "I care more about you and Ha-chan and Mother more than I care about myself. You shouldn't hurt yourself over me. I'll take the bruises, if it comes to that."

"I care more about you and the others than I do for myself, even if sometimes I say things that make it seem like I don't. I'm going to protect you."

"I don't want you hurting over me."

"Nor do I want you hurting over me."

"So we have come to a disagreement, but, of course, this is all hypothetical. Nobody's going to really get hurt."

"Of course," he agreed. But we could both tell that we would each protect each other until our dying breaths.

"So, mother is making something sweet," I said.

"Father won't like it."

"He's away. He doesn't have to know."

The week that Father was away was the best of our lives. It was so easy, and me and my siblings didn't have to practice, we did, but we didn't have to. We liked practicing. We practiced about three hours a day that week, and we ate sweets at home. Mother wasn't mad when I got home a few minutes late on Wednesday.

But then Father came back and things were back to normal. Well… almost normal. He started knocking us around a bit more, and he'd say things about us that hurt.

Over the next few months I found less and less to smile about. It was harder and harder to participate in club activities, but I managed. Then one day, things got really bad. Father beat us, actually beat us, with his belt, and he had punched my face, and it left a big bruise. But Taiki and I had gotten his anger away from Hajime, we had taken the brunt of it, and Hajime only got a small bruise on his side.

Usually the bruises could be hidden with clothes, but this one couldn't. It was right there out in the open. And I had to go to school, father demanded it.

I didn't have any concealer, so I couldn't cover it up. I made up the excuses for it, but I could tell my friends didn't believe me. Nothing I said made the look of suspicion leave their faces.

And then when it happened more often they got worried.

So it went on like that until the middle of March, when I disappeared.

**Haruhi's POV**

I looked worriedly at the door, hoping that Kaiya would come through. She'd been missing from school for a week. I was worried.

"Hey, Hikaru, Kaoru," I called.

They stopped laughing at a prank that they had just pulled long enough to look at me. "Yeah?"

"Do you know where Kaiya is? She's been gone all week."

"No," they said. "We don't. Honey and Mori don't either. Nobody does, she just disappeared."

"And the teachers won't say anything either."

"I don't think they know either."

"I'll call her later," I decided. "I'm worried."

The Club Hours

"Haru-chan!" Honey-Senpai sang. "Come on! You should sit with me and Takashi today!"

"Ok," I smiled.

"We can eat cake with the girls today!" he said. "And Taka-chan and me can talk with you later! Alone!"

"Alright," I said, a bit confused.

We talked with the girls, and finally, club hours were over. Usually by this time, someone would get their chauffeur to drive me home, but Honey, Mori, and I had to talk today.

Honey's smile dropped off his face as soon as the door shut behind the others. Tears welled up in his eyes as he said, "Kaiya's gone."

"What do you mean?"

"Takashi and me went to her house yesterday and she wasn't there. Neither was Taiki or Hajime, Taka-chan looked through some things and found they haven't been seen anywhere for a week. They're gone. just like Kaiya."

"All three of them, just gone?"

"The police were informed," Mori-senpai said.

I nodded. "Because of her parents?"

"Yeah."

"They might ask you about some stuff, Haru-chan," Honey-senpai said. "Don't tell the others, but Kyoya already knows. I don't want Hika-chan, Tama-chan, and Kaoru-chan to get upset. Their Father didn't seem upset at all…" His tears spilled over. "He said he was glad that they were gone because they were useless and… and *sniff* they didn't deserve to stay in his family." He burst out in tears, Mori comforted him.

"What?"

"Don't tell the others," Mori said, taking over. "They'll just get upset. Kyoya will be informed too. He's mature enough."

"But the others won't know?"

"No. They couldn't handle it."

More time passed. A week turned into a month, and a month turned into six. Six months turned into a year, and there was still no sign of Kaiya.

_**Kyoya's POV**_

After I wrote down another page of notes concerning the Host Club's expenses, I settled down into bed. I pulled my covers up around me and sighed.

Even I hadn't been able to find the small girl who had wormed her way into the host club. No matter how hard I tried, how hard the police force tried, they couldn't find even a clue about her ware bouts. The parents had been questioned, and they had reasonable evidence to suspect the father (like the blood found in his car) but he had escaped custody and was on the run. The mother had disappeared too.

I looked at the clock. 12:07am stared back at me.

It had been a year ago today that she'd disappeared.

I sighed again and closed my eyes to sleep.

*~OURAN*~HIGH*~SCHOOL*~HOST*~CLUB

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz… Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz… Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

I glared at the evil device that woke me up. Cell phones are the root of all evil.

"What!" I growled into the phone as I woke up.

"Your brother says to… ahem, get your ass out of bed and to the hospital," Ms. Honda, a nurse at the hospital where my brother works, said.

I snarled, "Tell him no!"

"He said it's about Kaiya."

I dropped the phone and changed out of my sleepwear. I ran out the door and a chauffeur came to pick me up.

"Ichiro's hospital," I said. "And step on it!"

I called every single one of the Host Club, and all of them answered. They knew that she had been found.

Five minutes later, I got to the hospital. The driver, knowing that I wanted to get there fast, cut ten minutes off of the trip by speeding. I rushed in the doors and up to the desk.

"What happened? Where's Kaiya?" I demanded.

The nurse looked up at me, startled at my direct statements. "We aren't allowed to release any information at the present."

"What? He just called me and told me to come here!"

"He said she was here. We've found her."

"Well? Is she alright?"

"I'm not allowed to say."

"Ms. Fuji," I addressed her. "As you know I am _very _powerful and my family employs a private police force of 100 officers. Each one can kill you in at least twenty different ways with their bare hands. I can find out where you live and send one of them to kill you without a second thought. Now, _please._ Tell. Me. something!"

"I am not allowed to say anything."

I snarled. "What's happening to her?"

"Dr. Ichiro will tell you."

"Kyoya!" I heard.

"Tamaki!" I turned to him. "Please explain to her that we are as close as Kaiya has to family and for all of our sakes, it would be best if she told us of Kaiya's condition."

Tamaki took about five seconds look at my face and that decided it for him. He walked past me and said to the nurse with a charming smile, "Please, miss, Kaiya is like a little sister to me. I have been so worried about her. If you would give me an update about her condition I would be forever in your debt." He finished with a kiss on her hand.

"You can wait jut like all the others. Dr. Ichiro hasn't briefed us on her condition, so I don't have any information on her right now."

"Ichiro, that unbelievable bastard!"

Just then the doors burst open revealing a stotic Mori holding an unusually serious Honey. Mori walked up to the desk and asked, "Where's Kaiya."

"She's with Dr. Ichiro right now, and no, I don't know anything about her condition."

Mori glared at her, but Honey took a different approach. "Kai-chan's my little cousin," he said. "And I've been really, really worried about her. And I haven't seen her since she went missing. Please can you just tell me if she's ok?"

Ms. Fuji sighed. "She's…"

Hikaru and Kaoru burst through the doors dragging Haruhi behind them. "We heard that," "They found Kaiya!" "And we stopped by Haruhi's" "Because it was on the way!" They both said, "Is she doing ok?"

"Ms. Haninozuka is in surgery with Dr. Ichiro right now. And from what I saw she needs a miracle. I can't tell you anything else about our patient. The waiting chairs are over there."

I growled at her, but Mori pulled me over to a chair and pushed me into it. "It isn't worth it."

He sat down next to me. I pulled out my computer. I'd show them they couldn't hide information from me! Ichiro should have known I'd get it somehow!

I typed in my password, disregarded everything I was working on last night, (how could these trivial calculations have seemed so important?) and started hacking into the hospital's files.

Thirty minutes later I was almost in. Two more commands and I would be done.

I typed a few more sentences and I was in. There was a search box in the corner and I clicked on it.

I typed _Kaiya Haninozuka. _

_No results found for your query._

I snarled and erased my computer's presence from the webpage. They couldn't tell that I had ever been there.

I tried another way, hacking into Ichiro's personal computer (which had access to everything.)

An hour and twenty minutes later, I was in. Ichiro had the top security system, but I bypassed it.

Even he had nothing. I searched his entire computer and found next to nothing, but it's a lot more than I'd found before. Evidently she was in some major surgery right now. It didn't elaborate except for to say that she was in critical condition.

I erased my computer's presence here too, or rather, tried to. I couldn't stop thinking that she could _die_. I hadn't really thought about it for a while. I just realized she was back, and I was about to lose her again. The word that I was typing, I just couldn't type. And I finally just gave it up and put my head in my hands.

Tamaki started murmuring, "It's ok, Kyoya, I'm sure she'll be fine!"

"But what if she isn't, Tamaki?" I asked. "What if she dies?"

He had no answer. Even Tamaki, the foolish prince who will never close his mouth, had nothing to say when I wanted him to say something the most.

It hurt.

Haruhi burst into tears, and Tamaki comforted both of us.

About thirty minutes later, Ichiro walked into the waiting room.

"Well?" I hissed.

"She's alive, but she's in bad condition."

"How bad?" I asked.

"Kyoya," Ichiro warned.

"Ichiro," I said, mocking his tone. "I have just been woken up from my sleep and ordered to come to the hospital to find that one of my close friends, who's been missing for a year, could die! I'm not in the mood to be tested! _Tell. Me. What. Happened. To. Kaiya."_

"Fine," Ichiro said. "But you won't like it. She's starved, dehydrated, has multiple lacerations and bruises, her back," Ichiro swallowed, "looks to have been beaten with the metal part of a belt and a bull whip. She's got many re-healed breaks. Her ribs had to be realigned, and she's been shocked, and she has cigarette burns all over her."

I felt that there was more, as sick as it was. "And?" I asked, terrified of what he would say.

"Kyoya, that's all he has to say, and isn't it bad enough?

"There's more isn't there?" the twins asked, reading Ichiro's face.

"Yeah," he said. "There's more. We don't know what her mental state will be like." He skirted around mentioning what else happened to her.

"I know there's more! Tell me!" I said, angry.

"We ran a rape kit, it's mandatory," Ichiro said. "We're still waiting the results. But it looks bad." He paused. "There's evidence of sexual trauma."

The breath left me.

"And what about Tai-kun and Ha-chan?" Honey asked.

"They were dead on arrival. But there was another girl there. We don't know who she is."

Honey's eyes teared up. "B-but Kai-chan's going to be ok, right?"

"Physically fine," Ichiro said. "Mentally is anyone's guess."

"Can we see her?" Haruhi asked, speaking up for the first time.

"She won't be awake."

"It doesn't matter!" the twins said. "Our friend's almost been _killed._ We have to see her!"

"Fine," Ichiro sighed. He turned on his heel. "But you won't like what you see." He led us to a room with IC 153. on it. He opened the door silently and we all looked in.

We saw Kaiya and another girl, who was a little bigger than her. They were still, and they had so many bandages and machines. They looked horrible, with sunken features. Kaiya was paler than the last time that we'd seen her. And there was a tube stuck down her throat. The parts of her that were showing were bruised badly. I couldn't imagine what could look worse than this. It was sick!

"When will she wake up?" Hikaru asked, hugging Kaoru.

"We don't know. As far as we can tell, she's going to recover. We've given her a contraceptive in her IV, just in case."

"But shouldn't that be her choice?" Tamaki asked.

Ichiro's eyes flashed. "Her body is too wrecked to carry a child. To put it simply, I'm trying to keep her alive! If you want to put her life, not to mention her child's life, at risk, then I'll take her off of it."

Tamaki blanched. "It was just a suggestion." A stupid one.

Ichiro sighed. "I'm sorry. It's been a long night." He checked his watch. "Go home. I'll have Kyoya called if there's any change." He glanced at us. "I'm sorry. Only family can stay. You actually shouldn't be here now."

"I'm her cousin. I'll stay," Mori said.

"Me too!" Honey proclaimed. "I'm her cousin too! I want to stay too!"

Mori smiled sadly at him. "Mitsukuni, go home. You need your sleep."

"But…" he started.

"Kaiya would have wanted you to."

"Fine. But you call me if she does anything, _anything, _got it?"

Takashi nodded. Mitsukuni tried to smile but ended up bursting into tears, so he ran out of the room. The rest of us followed him.

The next few days were torture. I couldn't concentrate on anything, and that was unusual for me. I kept thinking about Kaiya. She was so sick looking and frail. Like she could break at a moment's notice.

Then I got the call. Ichiro actually called me himself this time.

"She's woken up."

"She has?"

"But the orderly can't find her."

"What?"

"She's gone missing. I will look for her as soon as I get off the phone with you."

"Well then get off! I'll be there soon!"

"Goodbye." The phone clicked off.

I called the other hosts and they all said they'd come. Tamaki and I arrived at the same time.

"What room was she in?" he asked.

"IC 153!"

We headed that way and found the room. Tamaki yelled, "Kaiya! You're awake!"

In the still night, four small thumps were heard on the parking lot of one the Otori family's hospitals. Eight security guards were out there in seconds. When they saw the condition of the four, they yelled something urgently into their walkey-talkies. Four pairs of medics rushed out to the motionless people not ten seconds later. They quickly and efficiently loaded them onto stretchers and carried them back into the hospital. All was calm again on this dark night.

Inside the hospital was an entirely different story. The boys were Dead On Arrival, and the two girls were in critical condition, almost crashing. One of Kyoya's older brothers who was working at the time ordered someone to phone Kyoya. He knew his little brother was would like to know about the girl that had been identified.

"What should I say?"

"Just tell him to get his ass out of bed and to the hospital! Forget the formalities!" the older Otori son said as the rushed the girl to the ER. "Don't stop calling until he picks up!

The youngest Otori son soon arrived at the hospital. He was not given any information on her condition, no matter how many nurses he threatened.

The girl's heart stopped three times before she was declared critical, but not needing round-a-clock supervision.

The rest of the host club had arrived, most of them still in their pajamas. They waited for a report on her condition for hours. It was late. Mitsukuni was still rubbing his eyes, or so it seemed. He was really crying, but he didn't want anyone to know. Kyoya was typing on his computer, trying to type one word four times, becoming more and more frustrated each time, before he abandoned his 'cool' pretence and held his head in his hands. Tamaki comforted his friends while the twins looked at each other sadly. They were thinking the same thing. 'When we get close to someone we _always_ get hurt.' Haruhi suddenly burst out in tears, and Tamaki found himself comforting two of his friends. Only Takashi was stony faced with his arm around his little cousin. He didn't let anyone see his concern. God, she could _**die**_!

Finally after what seemed like an eternity, Kyoya's brother stepped through the door to the waiting room. The man wiped his brow.

"Well?" Kyoya hissed impatiently.

"She's alive," he said. "But she's in bad condition."

"How bad?" Kyoya asked.

"Kyoya," his brother warned.

"Ichiro," Kyoya said in the same tone. "I have just been woken up from my sleep and ordered to come to the hospital to find that one of my close friends, who's been missing for a year, could die! I'm not in the mood to be tested! _Tell. Me. What. Happened. To. Kaiya." _

Ichiro's resolve dissolved. "Fine, but you won't like it." He sighed. "She's starved, dehydrated, has multiple lacerations and bruises, her back," the doctor swallowed, "looks to have been beaten with the metal part of a belt and a bull whip. She's got two re-healed breaks. Her ribs had to be realigned, and she's been shocked, and she has cigarette burns all over her."

As horrible as it was, Kyoya felt that his brother was holding something back. "And?" He asked, terrified of the answer.

"Kyoya, that's all he has to say, and isn't it bad enough?" Tamaki asked.

"There's more isn't there?" the twins asked, reading Ichiro's face.

"Yeah," he said. "There's more. We don't know what her mental state will be like." He skirted around mentioning what else happened to her.

"I know there's more! Tell me!" Kyoya said, eyes blazing.

"We ran a rape kit, it's mandatory," Ichiro said. "We're still waiting the results. But it looks bad." He decided to give more information. "There's evidence of sexual trauma."

The breath left the group in one big huff.

"And what about Tai-kun and Ha-chan?" Mitsukuni asked.

"They were dead on arrival. But there was another girl there. We don't know who she is."

Mitsukuni's eyes teared up. "B-but Kai-chan's going to be ok, right?"

"Physically fine," Ichiro said. "Mentally is anyone's guess."

"Can we see her?" Haruhi asked, speaking up for the fist time.

"She won't be awake."

"It doesn't matter!" the twins said. "Our friend's almost been _killed._ We have to see her!"

"Fine," Ichiro sighed. He turned on his heel. "But you won't like what you see." He led them to a room with IC 153. on it. He opened the door silently and the seven hosts looked in. It was a horrible sight.

They saw two small girls, the blonde slightly bigger than the one with black hair. The two were perfectly still, seemingly swallowed by the bandages and machines attached. They had sunken cheeks and eyes from lack of food and sleep. They were very pale and there were tubes stuck down their throats. The parts of the girls that were showing were bruised and discolored. They were in better shape than before the doctors hat gotten to them, but the host club couldn't imagine what could look worse than this. Ichiro's brief description had done nothing to prepare them for this. This was… sick. Takashi even looked slightly green.

"When will she wake up?" Hikaru asked, hugging his twin.

"We don't know. As far as we can tell, she's going to recover. We've given her a contraceptive in her IV, just in case."

"But shouldn't that be her choice?" Tamaki asked.

Ichiro's eyes flashed. "Her body is too wrecked to carry a child. To put it simply, I'm trying to keep her alive! If you want to put her life, not to mention her child's life, at risk, then I'll take her off of it."

Tamaki blanched. "It was just a suggestion."

Ichiro sighed. "I'm sorry. It's been a long night." He checked his watch, 3:45. "Go home. I'll have Kyoya called if there's any change." He glanced at them. "I'm sorry. Only family can stay. You actually shouldn't be here now."

"I'm her cousin. I'll stay," Takashi said.

"Me too!" Mitsukuni proclaimed. "I'm her cousin too! I want to stay too!"

Takashi smiled sadly at him. "Mitsukuni, go home. You need your sleep."

"But…" he started.

"Kaiya would have wanted you to."

Mitsukuni relented at that statement. "Fine. But you call me if she does anything, _anything, _got it?"

Takashi nodded. Mitsukuni tried to smile but ended up bursting into tears, so he ran out of the room.

Takashi dropped heavily into the chair nest to the bed. He blamed himself for this. He spent the next three days dividing his time between training and sitting there reading or just looking at Kaiya.

The little he did sleep, about seven hours altogether, was in his chair.

On the third day, her finger twitched. It was a small twitch, barely noticeable. Throughout the day it happened more and more frequently.

Takashi was persuaded to go home by Kyoya's older brother that day. He slept for twelve hours and then trained more.

The day after, both girls woke up. They pulled the tubes out of their throats and smiled grimly at the other. Back to whatever hell they were forced to endure that day.

The blonde coughed and they both started removing the multitude of machines attached to them, ignoring the beeping that told them that something was wrong. They moved silently and almost in synch as they made their beds, folded the blankets like a duvet cover. Then they both hid under the table that had been placed in the room. They were good at not being seen. They weren't permitted to leave the room yet, they'd stay until they were.

They were used to the achey feel that they got after a bad beating. The older girl, the blonde, was sitting on the outside, running her fingers through the other girl's hair, braiding it tightly and securing it with a spare piece of twine. Then she wrapped it up in a bun.

Then the blonde turned and the black haired girl put her hair up in the same fashion.

The two had been changed into hospital pajamas (the Ootori's did _not_ approve of the drafty hospital gowns, instead going for warm, soft, pajamas). And the old, colorless, faded, outfits that they were wearing had been burned.

Two hospital orderlies rushed in, quieted the machines, and ran out to tell someone. Dr. Ichiro and a CIB (Criminal Investigation Bureau) officer rushed in afterwards. "She really is awake," he yelled. Scrambling was heard outside the door.

The CIB officer said, "Where are they?"

Dr. Ichiro caught a flash of blonde hair. "They're here."

"What?"

"Under the table."

The two girls saw the heavy boots step towards them. The doctor knelt and the two shied back towards the wall.

"Hello," his musical voice set them on edge. "My name is Dr. Ichiro. Will you come out?"

The two girls grabbed hands and stepped out from under the table. The older girl, the blonde, came first, and seemed to protect the black haired girl.

"Alright girls," the doctor said. "I would like to check you over."

Immediately they could see the reaction in the girls. The older girl snarled silently and pushed the younger girl behind her, protecting her. The older girl was definitely more used to the treatment. She didn't look at the men with fear, like the younger girl did. She looked at them with anger.

But neither of them made a sound.

Then the door opened. "Kaiya! You're awake!" Tamaki yelled.

**My computer was gone! I had to use a different one but this chappie was half written! I'm sorry for the delay!**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Previous chapter**__ "Kaiya! You're awake!" Tamaki yelled._

Heaven's blond hair flashed as she pushed me away from the two men in the doorway. One had black hair and the other had blonde. Tamaki and Kyoya. No way they were in on this too! I almost broke right there. But no, I couldn't break. I couldn't.

The doctor took them aside and mumbled something while I started tugging on my hair. It was a nervous habit, and Heaven had tried to get me to stop, but I just couldn't help it. Some of the people found it an endearing quality.

Heaven slapped my hand at me and glared, not harshly though. She's right. This isn't the time. I grabbed the older girl's hand and stepped to her side. Heaven had been my protector, my rock. She was a stable in a life of disposable things. She was a special case. It was her aunt and uncle, not her parents, who kidnapped her. She had someone to go back to.

They turned back to us. The doctor smiled charmingly. "Hello, my name is Dr. Ichiro Otori," he said. "I'll be your head doctor. I promise you that I only examine your bandages and redo the dressings, or I can get a female nurse to do it if you're uncomfortable." I screwed my eyes shut and put my hands on my head. They hurt me. Beat me. Did things even worse than that. And my sentence in hell wasn't even over yet.

"Kaiya," Kyoya called. "Are you alright?"

I felt a hand on my back and instinctively pulled away from it.

"Kaiya?" the words brought me back to the present. "Kaiya!" Tamaki. It was Tamaki. Tamaki would never hurt me… right? But… Tamaki was here. It meant he was in on this. "Kaiya what's wrong?"

I shook my head and stood up, looking towards them.

Kyoya looked away from me. He seemed to be in pain about something. Tamaki smiled at me. I hadn't seen a truly innocent smile in such a long time. It… hurt. It was a bit nostalgic too. But mostly it just hurt. I was reminded of a time when I smiled more like that.

"I'm glad you're back now," he said. "We have to tell the others you're awake!"

I just stared up at him. Back? Did they really expect me to fall for this weak ploy? I was utterly convinced there was no way I was getting out unless I, myself, escaped.

"Kaiya?" Kyoya asked. "Aren't you going to say something?"

I merely shook my head. It had been beaten into me. Never talk to your betters.

They weren't marked like we were. I rubbed the back of my shoulder, feeling the fabric brush against the mark that had been burned there. I looked down and realized the rough, filthy, discolored clothes had been traded for very pale green hospital pajamas.

"What's wrong?" Kyoya asked. "Ache in your shoulder?"

Damnit he noticed! I shook my head. It was remembrance of an old pain.

"Will you talk to us at all? Either of you?"

We shook our heads.

"What did they do to you?"

Our silence spoke volumes.

Of course, they made us let them change our bandages. Kyoya and Tamaki left for that part, and Dr. Otori took care to look at our shoulders. Identical burns marred our skin, along with a multitude of scars. We knew what they looked like, they were identical pentagrams in surrounded by a circle.

"Where did you get this?" he asked, the doctor I mean. Of course, we didn't answer. He sighed. "I forgot that you don't speak. You know, it would be a lot easier to help you if you would talk to us. We are on your side, whether you believe it or not."

"Doctor?" a nurse said. "Are we ready to take the blood sample?"

He backed up and said, "Yes, of course-" and we saw the needle. That's when all hell broke loose.

The two of us made a break for the door, intending to cause as much panic as possible. We weren't going to be experimented on! Not again!

We surprised them, so we were able to make it out of the room. Of course, we both knew we couldn't get far, but we didn't want any more experiments! They always hurt!

I could feel the tears running down my face, knowing we were just delaying the inevitable. Me and Heaven, we were always beaten the worst because they wanted to see how much we could take before we broke.

Heaven glanced behind us. There were three doctors chasing us, and they were gaining. She shoved me through a door and locked it behind me. It was a hallway. I jiggled the doorknob, but one look at Heaven's glare sent me sprinting. That Britt was freaking scary!

Somehow, I found my way out of the labyrinth, and to the front lobby. The door! The door! The door! I hadn't let myself think about escape until now. But the door was so close! I'd come back for Heaven. I'd sneak in! And they would never ever hurt either of us again.

And then, out of nowhere, an arm grabbed me around my waist and pulled me away from the door. I glanced back. I was getting ahead of myself. I could never escape (didn't stop me from trying).

I screwed up my eyes and tried to slip out of the arms that held me.

"Hey, Kaiya, hey, hey, hey, it's ok," a soft, chiming voce asked me. "We only want to help you." If that's what Tamaki called _help_, he was just as sadistic as the rest of them.

I knew I had been caught. I stopped struggling, but never once did I relax. Never again with them around.

"Tamaki," a strong, composed voice said. Kyoya. "I believe you're scaring her. Obviously something's frightened her, and she's given into the natural urge to run."

"Where were you going?" Tamaki asked. "Your parents are wanted because the police think they're the ones that took you." I blinked, surprised that they got something right. I wasn't undermining the police system, but this was a hidden society whose members had stayed undetected for generations. Not one of their members had ever been caught.

"Tamaki," Kyoya warned. He smiled as Tamaki released me. I stumbled a bit trying to regain my balance. The black haired demon put one hand on my shoulder and squeezed, a silent warning to not try to run again. "Let's get you back to your room, ok?"

I wouldn't have run. I knew when I was beaten.

"I wonder what made her run like that," Kyoya commented to Tamaki. As if they didn't know. They were going to try and experiment on me. They were going to see what made me hurt. "I've never seen such pure, undiluted terror."

"Terror? She was scared? I thought she just wanted to get out," Tamaki said.

"Tamaki, you're so dense sometimes! Of course she was scared!"

"You do realize she can hear you?" Tamaki asked. "She's always been really smart. She's not just going to ignore what we're saying about her."

"I don't think she cares that we know she's afraid." He was right. I didn't care, I thought it was obvious. "IC 153. That is where you were being examined, correct?"

I caught his eyes. A silent yes.

He smiled again. Kyoya was awfully cheerful.

He opened the door and led me back in. "I've found her. She was trying to run out the door. What did you to her?"

"Nothing. We've catalogued a few more injuries, and we were about to take a blood sample for testing when they bolted."

"Could it have been the needle? She seemed terrified. Perhaps they experimented on her. Kaiya, would you sit down on the bed?" I complied and sat next to Heaven.

"Your imagination exceeds probability, Kyoya," he said. "It is, however, a possibility. We did find tract marks on the normal places for experimentation, but the marks were larger than they would be for usual needles. The inside of their elbows were covered, but there were a few on their toes, the backs of their knees, and at their wrists. I thought they were forcing drugs into them, but I will check into other possible routes."

"Thank you."

"Kaiya, I know you're listening to me," the doctor said. "We're not going to hurt you. We only want to take a little bit of blood. If you want, Tamaki and Kyoya can stay here. Kyoya can even take the blood sample if you would prefer it."

I nodded, not totally believing him.

"Would you like for Kyoya to take the sample?"

I nodded again and hesitantly reached my arm out. Kyoya had never hurt me before. I was hoping that now wouldn't be the first time.

He showed me the needle, but I looked away. He grabbed my arm and I forced myself to keep it relaxed, knowing it would hurt less.

I waited for the pain that came with the thick needles they used. It always hurt really badly. I felt them swab my arm with a disinfectant wipe. It was strange. That part usually stung too.

I felt a slight pinprick and then heard Kyoya say, "Done."

I opened my eyes. He was standing there with the syringe full of blood, the needle part was discarded. "Quite a bit of fuss over a tiny blood sample," Kyoya stated. I was still dumbfounded. It hadn't hurt.

Heaven grinned at me, she was always a bit… off, and right now was no exception. Her grin was a bit maniacal, and her eyes were crazed. The nurses took a step back.

I rolled my eyes but smiled tersely back. She was always my favorite, except perhaps Hajime.

"I wasn't going to hurt you," Dr. Otori said.

I was completely confused by now. I knew I hadn't escaped, and I doubted they would have just let me go. I looked at Heaven and revised the thought. They would never have let us go.

Just then the doors opened again. Haruhi and the twins stepped through. "Kaiya!" they all yelled at the same time.

Did someone rescue me? Haruhi and the twins would never be in a society like that… could they?

"Are you alright?" Haruhi asked, going into the 'Mother Hen' mode. "Stupid question. But you're here! I thought I would never see you again!"

She paused and waited for me to speak, but I wouldn't.

"They don't speak," Kyoya supplied. "It is curious, I wonder what secrets they're keeping from us."

He was treating us like some riddle he could figure out if he just stared hard enough. I didn't like it.

Haven stood up. "You think we're not talking because we're scared? Who says we want to talk to you?" the Britt said. She never could keep her mouth shut.

I pulled her back down. "Heaven!" I whispered in her ear. "Don't! You'll get us beat again."

"I don't care anymore! They can't just talk about us like we're not here! I don't care about the stupid rule!"

"What rule?"

She sneered. "You_ know_ what rule!"

"Calm down, Heaven," I whispered, still with my face by her ear and too softly for anyone else to hear.

"I obviously don't know which rule you're talking about. Tell me," Kyoya said.

"Give it up! You know the rule."

I couldn't let her hurt anyone! I had to calm her down somehow. I spotted a scalpel and cut a shallow -line across the palm of my left hand, just enough to make it bleed.

She'd stood up by this point and I discarded the scalpel in favor of putting my hand in front of Heaven's face. "Stop it!" I commanded. She grabbed my wrist in a stranglehold, and I winced, but she ignored it, smelling the tangy metallic scent of blood. It always calms her down. I don't know why but it does.

She licked the blood off my hand and loosened her grip, relaxing onto the hospital bed. I was used to her strange antics, but Haruhi and the others weren't.

"What the hell are you doing, Kaiya?" Hikaru asked. When I didn't answer he got frustrated. "Answer me!"

I looked up in shock. Another rule was always follow orders. This trumped the first rule. "W-well, I didn't want K-Kyoya-Senpai to get h-hurt," I stuttered. "She h-hurts people a lot, Heaven d-does."

Heaven rolled her eyes.

"You were trying to protect Kyoya-Senpai?" Kaoru asked.

I nodded, quivering in fear.

"You don't have to be afraid of us," Kaoru said, Hikaru nodded. Hikaru muttered, "Sorry. I was worried about you. You did just cut yourself." He got a thoughtful look on his face. "Tell us why you had to cut yourself."

"B-because it calms H-Heaven down," I said. "I c-can't let her h-hurt any one else."

The door burst open again and a little blonde bulled raced in and tackled me into a hug. I quickly turned into a statue, every muscle as tense as I could make it. My eyes were wide with fear.

"Kaiya I missed you so much and then when you got here four days ago it was really bad and I thought you'd never wake up and- huh?" he was pulled off. "Takashi! Let me go!"

"Mitskuni. You're scaring her."

"What?" he looked at me, and I shrunk away from him towards Heaven, who put her arm around my shoulder.

"Who are you and why are you hugging my little sis?"

"Kaiya doesn't have a sister! And I'm her older cousin!"

Heaven looked at me and I nodded the tiniest bit. She relaxed her protective hold on me. "I might not be related by blood, but we survived hell together. That counts for something."

"What did they do to you guys?"

I cut my eyes away at the question, and I swear the room dropped 10 degrees when Heaven glared at the floor.

"You don't want to know."

"When can we take her home? Me and Takashi have our own mansion because we're 18. We can take her there. She'll be more-."

"Heaven, we've already contacted your parents. By a lucky chance, they had moved to Japan for your father's job. You can-"

"Wait, maybe they can tell us about the-"

"You can't just ask someone about-"

"I don't think there's a way to-"

I put my hands over my ears. I hated all the noise. I was used to long periods of silence and darkness. My senses were getting an overload. I felt hands on my ears and suspected that Heaven had put her hands over mine to help block out the noise.

I heard a muffled man's voice call out above the rest. "Don't you see what you're doing to her? Kaiya's been through enough without you terrorizing her. She's obviously used to quiet, if not outright silence. So please, try to control yourselves," Kyoya said. I opened my eyes. It was Kyoya's hands over mine.

They were all staring at me, so I tried to make myself as small as possible.

"Sorry, Kaiya," Mitsukuni mumbled, coming over to sit next to me.

I pulled my lips back in a slight smile for a moment as a silent acceptance of the apology. Takashi, who hadn't said a word, came and sat on my other side. He put his hand on my head and messed up my hair, just like he used to.

"I'm glad you're okay."

I relaxed very slightly and grabbed Mitsukuni's hand. Takashi put his arm around my shoulders and I tensed, but after about a minute, realized he wasn't going to hurt me. I relaxed very slowly.

They all talked in soothing voices. They were calm. I was extremely tired. Yawning, I realized that I must have escaped, because this was like heaven. Heaven was talking to the twins and Haruhi, and Kyoya was sitting beside Mitsukuni and Tamaki was beside him and Takashi.

"Are you tired?" Mitsukuni asked. I nodded cautiously. "Will you take a nap with me? I'm tired too." I nodded, weary of this whole thing. Takashi pulled a very familiar pink blanket with bunnies all over it and moved, Mitsukuni lay down and I slowly did the same. My eyes closed of their own accord, and I felt the blanket being pulled up to my shoulder. Mitsukuni snuggled close to me and I opened my eyes, confused by the physical contact. He opened his eyes and grinned up at me, telling me it was ok. I closed my eyes again, and tried to maintain my grip on consciousness, but like most things in my life, it slipped away.

**Takashi POV **

I watched my two little cousins sleep. I suddenly thought, 'who could be sick enough to hurt her?'

Of course, I was going to find out.

"Mori-senpai?" Tamaki asked.

"Ah?"

"Are you alright?"

"Hn."

"You're worried too." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah."

Haruhi and the twins came over to talk to us, the other girl, the blond one, went over to Kaiya and started pulling her hair out of the intricate knot with practiced hands.

She started humming a soft tune that I had never heard before. She looked down at Kaiya's hand, and I caught sight of a straight cut across her hand. It had already scabbed over, but it looked recent.

I stood up and walked over to her. I picked up her hand and flipped it over gently. This hadn't been there before. I would know.

"What is this?" I asked. Kaiya shouldn't hurt anymore. Not after what she had been through.

The girl at least had the decency to look ashamed. "Ah, that would be my fault. I overreacted at something. I need medicine. I have a condition, I'm slightly psychopathic. Blood calms me down. It's strange." She laughed a bit. "I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Heaven Kirkland."

"Takashi Morinozuka."

A flash of recognition entered her eyes. "Oh! She would talk about you all the time. You and someone named Mitsukuni."

"That's him."

"Sure," she said, still running her fingers through my cousin's hair. "She mentioned the rest of you periodically. She said that Kyoya was the smart one who was scary, but I don't think he is. She said the twins were mirror images of each other, both in personality and in looks. They're mischievous, she told me. Haruhi was the cynic, but had a great personality." Tamaki knew he was next. He grinned like an idiot. "She said Tamaki acted like a foolish prince." He looked crushed, and went to sulk in the corner.

"Ah." I went back to staring at my cousins, ignoring the rest of the room.

Various conversations went on around me. I was so happy Kaiya was alive. And she was back! And not permanently physically injured! I had never even dared to hope that this could happen.

I shut my eyes, truly relaxed for the first time since she went missing.

_Suddenly I opened my eyes and I was in a strange place. It was dark. _

"_Kaiya Haninozuka," a man shrouded in shadows asked. I could see her strapped to a table, bound and gagged. "From now on, you're 48a084b12. Remember it." _

_She shook her head, hanging onto her name as best she could. _

"_Did you just say no to me?" _

_She nodded. He lashed out and caught her cheek. "No one ever tells me no. Just for that, I'll make this session extra painful." _

_She caught sight of me, and looked at me with pleading eyes, silently begging me to help her. I started to run towards her, but somehow she wasn't getting any closer. Actually, she seemed to be moving away. _

_The gag was taken off of her, and she screamed, "TAKASHI!" _

_Then the man pulled out his scalpel. Her screaming didn't stop for a long time. _

I woke up to Mitsukuni shaking my shoulder. "Takashi! Takashi!"

"Ah?"

"We have to go now. Visiting hours are over. She woke up screaming from a nightmare and couldn't be calmed. She's sedated now."

"Ah."

"Takashi? What's wrong?"

"Bad dream."

He instantly understood. "Want to talk about it?"

"Hn."

"Okay. We have to go home. They said we can take her with us tomorrow. And we can't forget to introduce Aki and Yuki and Seiji." Yes, we did have to introduce her to the three new recruits of the Host Club. Aki Sato was the only child of one of the world's biggest toy and candy company. Yuki Fowl was half Irish half Japanese, and the heir to a great line of manufacturers that produced products internationally, and Seiji Sohma's father was one of the top lawyers in Japan.

"Ah."

I picked him up and he settled on my shoulders. "We can take her home tomorrow," he reminded me, patting my head.

Tomorrow seemed forever away.

But eventually it came. She would have to use a wheelchair to get around for a while, until she healed up more, but we could take her home. It must have hurt her really badly to run through the hospital yesterday.

Heaven's parents were there, but the girl herself had been moved to another room. They were extremely emotional, so happy to get their little girl back. They brought a psychologist, and she was given her proper medicines.

Kaiya's face seemed to light up as we walked through the door. She smiled. It was the first time I had seen her do that.

"Hello, Kaiya!" Mitsukuni said. "You can come home with us today! Takashi and me have a mansion all to ourselves now because we're 18. You missed our birthday and everything. You missed your birthday too." He frowned. "Your 14 now."

She seemed to apologize with her eyes. She still hadn't spoken a word to us.

"It's alright. I want you to come back to Ouran and meet the new recruits of the host club!"

She looked up questioningly.

"Yeah, we have a few new recruits. Yuki Fowl and Seiji Sohma," Mitsukuni said. "Tamaki says that we have to keep the host club going even though we're leaving next year." He grinned. "We even got another girl to host! Her name's Aki Sato! And we got two more guys called Yuki Fowl and Seiji Sohma."

She was interested.

"Aki's very nice, and she attracts a ton of new customers. She's pretty!" Mitsukuni said. "We talked about you all the time. We missed you."

I realized that he was just filling the air with conversation, because obviously Kaiya wouldn't talk to us. She must have realized it too because she looked away from his face and back down at her hands.

"Ah," I agreed.

"So anyway, you get to come home with us today!"

She looked up, right into my face. She remembered I could never lie, not to her. I nodded at her. She was coming with us.

"T-thank you," she murmured almost silently.

I fought back the urge to pick her up like I used to. I could hold her and Mitsukuni at the same time, one on each shoulder. I just grinned slightly at her. She grinned hesitantly back.

"Don't worry Kaiya, we'll make sure you're never taken away again," Mitsukuni said. You could tell from the way he said it, he would keep an eye on her. "Nobody's gunna hurt my little cousin again. Me and Takashi won't let them. We'll protect you."

"Ah."

"What are you getting from it? What's the catch?"

"Nothing! We're doing this because we want to!" Mitsukuni said.

She glanced up at us. "You're lying," she said, a bit unsurely. "Everyone lies. No one does something for nothing."

"We do," I added. This wasn't the little cousin I remembered. This girl had had her faith in humanity beaten out of her.

Silence reigned in the room.

She glared at the floor by the bed, I could tell she didn't believe us.

It hurt.

"Let's go home," Mitsukuni said.


End file.
